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Season guide

Tomorrow's Joe: Tomorrow's Joe

79 episodes Premiered Apr 1, 1970 Updated Jul 26, 2026

Tomorrow's Joe season 1 is an animated series. The story revolves around a young drifter named Joe Yabuki who wanders through the slums of Tokyo. When local ruffians try to give him a hard time, Joe teaches them a lesson with his fists. This spectacle catches the attention of Danpei Tange, an old drunk who happens to be watching. Danpei, a failed boxer and former coach, sees something special in Joe and pleads with h

Season overview

Tomorrow's Joe season 1 is an animated series. The story revolves around a young drifter named Joe Yabuki who wanders through the slums of Tokyo. When local ruffians try to give him a hard time, Joe teaches them a lesson with his fists. This spectacle catches the attention of Danpei Tange, an old drunk who happens to be watching. Danpei, a failed boxer and former coach, sees something special in Joe and pleads with him to train with him. Joe initially brushes him off but later realizes he needs to hone his fighting skills to survive. A partnership is formed between Joe and Danpei, which may take Joe to the top.

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Episodes

S1·E1

Those are the Eyes of a Beast!

Apr 1, 1970 · 25 min

A former boxer and current drunkard named Danpei Tange meets a drifter named Joe Yabuki and sees potential in him. Tange offers to teach Joe how to box, but Joe isn't easily convin

S1·E2

The Live in the Square Jungle

Apr 8, 1970 · 25 min

Danpei is severely hurt after trying to protect Joe from the yakuza. Joe goes to visit the head of the yakuza group to try to get reparations for Danpei.

S1·E3

Face the Fangs of the Beast

Apr 15, 1970 · 25 min

Danpei works hard day and night to save up for Joe and his boxing gym. Meanwhile, Joe uses the slum kids to con some money out of people and he runs into a woman named Yoko Shiraki

S1·E5

For the Sake of Tomorrow! Part 1

Apr 29, 1970 · 25 min

Tange sends Joe a letter to teach him boxing while he's at the police hospital waiting for his fate.

S1·E6

Explode! Left Jab!

May 6, 1970 · 25 min

Joe ends up in a juvenile classification home and is quickly put into his place after trying to be cocky against his fellow inmates and their boss Nishi.

S1·E7

Don`t Judge the Wolf!

May 13, 1970 · 25 min

Joe, Tange, and the kids show up to court to hear if Joe will be sent off to the juvenile training school.

S1·E8

Toko High Security Juvenile Prison

May 20, 1970 · 25 min

Joe and Nishi spend their first night at the Toko Special Juvenile Training School and are quickly put into their places.

S1·E9

His Name is Rikiishi Toru!

May 27, 1970 · 25 min

Joe and Nishi are sent out with the rest of the inmates to do some farmwork. Later on, Nishi comes up with a plan to help Joe escape the island, but they meet a man named Toru Riki

S1·E10

Scream of the Red Sunset!

Jun 3, 1970 · 25 min

Joe is completely out of it after getting punched by Rikiishi. However, later on, he had a huge surprise in store for everyone.

S1·E11

Burn at the Bottom of Hell!

Jun 10, 1970 · 25 min

Joe continues to practice boxing while he's alone in solitary. Danpei and the kids try to find a way into the juvenile training school when they unexpectedly run into Yoko.

S1·E12

Shout at the Burning Sun

Jun 17, 1970 · 25 min

Joe tells Yoko why he treats her so badly. Rikiishi tries to interfere and Yoko proposes that they settle this in a boxing match. Tange finally gets to train Joe again in person.

S1·E13

Stand in the Ring of Destiny

Jun 24, 1970 · 25 min

Joe and Rikiishi prepare for their upcoming match. After seeing just how powerful Joe's new punch is, Rikiishi devises a unique training method to counter it.

S1·E14

Is it Time for the KO Gong Yet!?

Jul 1, 1970 · 25 min

Joe and Rikiishi finally have their first match. But for some reason, Danpei tells Joe to let Rikiishi keep knocking him down. Who will be the winner in the end?

S1·E15

White Mat's Lullaby

Jul 8, 1970 · 25 min

Moved by the fight between Joe and Rikiishi, the inmates also start boxing.

S1·E16

The Setting Sun of Treachery

Jul 15, 1970 · 25 min

Tange becomes the full-time boxing coach at the juvenile training school on Nogiku Island. Joe seems to finally be interested in training more with Tange, but Tange suddenly seems

S1·E17

Alone in the Middle of a Storm

Jul 22, 1970 · 25 min

Joe keeps trying to get Tange to coach him again, but Tange just keeps ignoring him and concentrates on training Aoyama. No one expected Aoyama to get into the tournament, but he t

S1·E18

Ring Ropes of Despair

Jul 29, 1970 · 25 min

The dormitory boxing tournament begins and everyone finds out just how Aoyama defeated Numata.

S1·E19

The Fearsome Liver Blow

Aug 5, 1970 · 25 min

Joe and Aoyama's match finally begins, but who will come out on top?

S1·E20

Battle Scarred Victory

Aug 12, 1970 · 25 min

Joe and Aoyama's match concludes and Tange reveals something to our two fighters.

S1·E21

A Small Fight with a Big Honor

Aug 19, 1970 · 25 min

Rikiishi tells Joe that they need to have their match sooner because something came up, so they have an unofficial match out in the rain.

S1·E22

The Legendary Rikiishi Tooru

Aug 26, 1970 · 25 min

Rikiishi leaves Toko Special Juvenile Training School and Joe feels empty inside. Meanwhile, the final match of the dorm boxing tournament is about to begin.

S1·E23

Farewell, Juvenile Prison

Sep 2, 1970 · 25 min

Following Rikiishi and Aoyama, Nishi is also going to leave the juvenile training school, leaving Joe all alone.

S1·E24

Return to Slum Town

Sep 9, 1970 · 25 min

Joe finally leaves the juvenile training school and goes back to the slums where he's welcomed back with open arms, and Danpei has a surprise for him.

S1·E25

Law of the Stray Dog

Sep 16, 1970 · 25 min

Joe finally feels like something might be changing in his life, but then he is visited by Guerilla, who's on the run from the police.

S1·E26

License of Despair

Sep 23, 1970 · 25 min

Tange goes to the Japan Boxing Association to get his gym officially recognized. Meanwhile, Joe starts working at the grocery store Nishi works at.

S1·E27

Bridge to Tomorrow

Sep 30, 1970 · 25 min

Tange is unable to get the license for his gym, but then, an unexpected visitor gives them an unbelievable offer.

S1·E28

Wager for Glory

Oct 7, 1970 · 25 min

Joe goes to see the All Japan Rookie Championship Tournament and figures out a way to get one of the members of the Boxing Association to give Tange the license he needs for his gy

S1·E29

Challenge for Tomorrow

Oct 14, 1970 · 25 min

Tange is able to get the license for his gym after the stunt Joe pulled at the All Japan Rookie Championship Tournament, but he says that Joe's not ready to become a pro yet himsel

S1·E30

The Ordeal of the Pro Test

Oct 21, 1970 · 25 min

Joe and Nishi go take the pro boxing test and Joe finds out that it's not as easy as he thought it would be.

S1·E31

Spread Your Wings, Pro Boxer

Oct 28, 1970 · 25 min

Joe passes the B-rank exam and takes his first real step towards becoming a pro.

S1·E33

Hooray for the First Victory

Nov 11, 1970 · 25 min

Everyone celebrates after Joe's first victory. Noriko gets him violets but those are quickly overshadowed by the giant bouquet of roses Yoko sends him.

S1·E34

The Aspiring Boxer

Nov 18, 1970 · 25 min

Ishikura watches Joe win a boxing match and decides he wants to be just like him. He then suddenly shows up to Tange's gym wanting to join, but Tange surprisingly refuses.

S1·E35

Do Your Best! Nishi!

Nov 25, 1970 · 25 min

Nishi loses all three matches so far after becoming a pro and loses his confidence. Tange, Joe, and the kids try to find a way to build his confidence back up and Kinoko finds a su

S1·E36

Wolf Kanagushi Bares His Fangs

Dec 2, 1970 · 25 min

Joe continues winning match after match and asks Tange when he's going to go up against Wolf Kanagushi. Tange tells him they're going to take it nice and slow, but then, Otaka send

S1·E37

Training Furiously

Dec 9, 1970 · 25 min

Joe, Tange, and Nishi are anxious about what Wolf's secret training could be. The kids decide they'll sneak into the Asia Boxing Club to find out what Wolf's training is, but thing

S1·E39

The Triple Cross of Victory

Dec 23, 1970 · 25 min

Joe and Wolf's intense match finally comes to an end. Who will stand victorious?

S1·E40

An Oath to the Snow

Dec 30, 1970 · 25 min

Tange takes Joe, Nishi, and the rest of the neighborhood on a hot springs trip to celebrate Joe's victory, but on their way up, they find out that Wolf may have been incapacitated.

S1·E41

Rikiishi Tooru`s Challenge

Jan 6, 1971 · 25 min

The new year has arrived and Joe finds out that Rikiishi is losing weight to become a bantamweight so he can face off with Joe.

S1·E42

A Man`s World

Jan 13, 1971 · 25 min

Joe and Rikiishi continue training for their match. However, Rikiishi is starting to worry Yoko and Mikinosuke because he is going to extreme lengths to lose weight.

S1·E43

A Cruel Weight Loss

Jan 20, 1971 · 25 min

Tange formally accepts Shiraki Gym's match request between Rikiishi and Joe and he tells Joe about Rikiishi's brutal weight loss regimen. Meanwhile, Nishi doesn't seem to be losing

S1·E44

Rikiishi Tooru`s Hard Fight!

Jan 27, 1971 · 25 min

Rikiishi has his first match as a bantamweight against Pancho Leo. Who will come out on top?

S1·E45

Sway Back to Defeat Rikiishi!

Feb 3, 1971 · 25 min

Joe asks Tange and Nishi to help him improve his sway backs so he has a way to counter Rikiishi.

S1·E46

The Man Who Risked Death

Feb 10, 1971 · 25 min

While Joe continues his intense training, Rikishi is equally devoted to maintaining his weight.

S1·E47

The Two Before the Storm

Feb 17, 1971 · 25 min

On the day of the match, Joe and Danpei reunite with Rikishi during the weigh-in and acknowledge his impressive weight-cutting success.

S1·E48

Showdown of Destiny

Feb 24, 1971 · 25 min

Joe realizes that Rikishi has stabilized his body after extreme weight loss.

S1·E49

An Endless Deathmatch

Mar 3, 1971 · 25 min

Rikishi's uppercut grazes Joe's cheek, causing it to bleed. Alarmed, Joe moves in close during the third round, leading to an intense exchange of hooks.

S1·E50

End of the Battle

Mar 10, 1971 · 25 min

Joe fortifies his guard for the first time in his professional career, but Rikishi's fierce attack knocks him down.

S1·E51

Burnt-out Life

Mar 17, 1971 · 25 min

The fierce battle ends. Joe extends a congratulatory handshake to Rikishi, who starts to smile but collapses onto the mat.

S1·E52

Farewell, Rikiishi Toru

Mar 24, 1971 · 25 min

On the day of Rikishi's funeral, Joe leaves their condolences to Danpei and Nishi and tries to distract himself by playing energetically with the children by the riverside.

S1·E53

The Man I Hate

Mar 31, 1971 · 25 min

Joe wanders through the town on a snowy night, carrying memories of Rikishi. To Joe, who has no family, Rikishi was an irreplaceable presence...

S1·E54

The Ten-Count Bell of Sorrow

Apr 7, 1971 · 25 min

Three days after Joe disappeared, a ten-count gong was held at Korakuen Hall to mourn Rikishi's death. Joe watches the scene on a street-side TV.